23.6.5.1.5 Dithering

Dithering operation can improve the precision of the closed-loop tuner. Dithering works on two aspects: the delay step size and the comparator resolution. Normally the delay can only be changed in steps of one unit of the 8-bit delay field every reference clock period, for a total of 256 steps. Dithering allows for 8-bits of fractional delay value by automatically changing between DELAY and DELAY+1 values with a weight determined by the tuner. This also has the effect of smoothing the frequency over time. Dithering is therefore equivalent to 16-bits of delay value. If this full range is not needed, the step size can be increased by writing the Step Size field in the Dithering register (DFLLULPDITHER.STEP). By default the frequency comparator resolution is limited to 1/RATIO over a single reference clock period. In dithering operation, the comparator resolution can be made finer by comparing over multiple reference clock periods. This behavior is controlled by the Period field in the Dithering register (DFLLULPDITHER.PER). The fine control offered by dithering means that the tuner will take longer to adjust to coarse changes in the frequency. When dithering mode is active, the tuner will attempt to get close to the final locked value before starting the dithering engine. Dithering mode can be restarted if there is a write to DFLLULPDLY